At the Graduate Institute, you can apply for one programme, once, in each application cycle. While our application portal opens in October, many applicants wait until the very last minute – literally! – to click “submit”. If some technical issue then delays their submission, or if it turns out that their files is incomplete, we cannot process their application and they may need to wait an entire year until they can apply again.

Our advice? Plan to submit your application a few days or even weeks ahead of the deadline so if there are any issues, you will still have time to resolve them. 

Our application file will contain many different documents. Some will require a few hours of work (such as your cover letter); others will depend entirely on other people (recommendation letters); others still will require your administrative follow up (ordering transcripts, signing up for standardised tests). Don’t get caught out.

Are our requirements clear?

Before you get started, read our application checklist carefully to make sure that you understand exactly what you need to submit. Do you need a GRE? An English proficiency certificate? If you have any questions, ask us!

Which deadline?

There are three different deadlines. Be sure to choose the right one.

Early Bird – 15 November 2020

• For disciplinary master and PhD programmes only (not for the Master in International Affairs and the Master in Development Studies)
• Weak applications will be eliminated in this round
• Stellar applications may receive an offer of admission as early as January 2021. If we choose you, and you choose us, then your application adventure is over! You can use the rest of this academic year to focus on your remaining coursework, plan your transition to Geneva - and relax.
• Other applications may be postponed to the regular deadline, if the selection committee prefers to compare their merits to the rest of the application pool.

Regular deadline – 15 January 2021

• For all our programmes
• This deadline comes shortly after we re-open, following our winter break. Limited application support will be available during the break (from 22 December 2020 to 7 January 2021). Be sure to complete your preparations and resolve your questions by mid-December, then perhaps use the break for the finishing touches.

Late deadline – 1 March 2021

• Higher application fee
• Financial aid requests are no longer accepted
• The confirmation (deposit) deadline will come just a few days after your admission decision will be announced, so you’ll need to make a quick decision if you are admitted.

Wondering where to begin? Code word: RETROPLAN

This is a straightforward technique used by project managers, communications planners and anyone working on a multi-step process with a finishing date. Here’s how it works:

• Determine how long it will take you to produce each piece of your application file.
  • Ask your university registrar’s office how long it takes them to issue transcripts.
  • If you need to take a standardised test, locate your nearest test centre and ask how long it takes to schedule a test appointment. Would you like to have the option of re-taking it a second time?
  • Think about your recent writing assignments. How many rewrites will you need to produce a great cover letter? Estimate how long you will need to write it and then add a safety buffer.
  • Who will send us your recommendation letters? Are they likely to respond quickly?
     
• Mark the deadline on your calendar, then count back the days or weeks you’ll need for each document. Mark your starting dates. Then go back a few more days, to be on the safe side. Because life if full of surprises.
   
• Voilà! Your retroplanner is ready. You are on your way to a smooth and stress-free application process.

Need support? Write to us at: prospective@graduateinstitute.ch Or make an appointment: https://michal-sela.youcanbook.me/